Steam generating system



Ab 1935. c. A. FRENCH 1,996,238

STEAM GENERATING SYSTEM Filed Jun 15, 19:53

Patented Apr. 2, 1935 H 1,996,238; I s'rEAMfGENEnA'rmG SYSTEM f I Charles French; Riverside; Ill I. u IApplication June lfil 193t$t$erial1831 615935 I This inventionrelates to a steam power plant,

More particularly it relates to regulating and controlling means for-a power plant utilizing a boiler of the semi-flash type.

5 A principal object of the inventionis-to provide a steam generating plant in which thesteam is generated and, after doing'its work, condensed at substantially the rate'atwhich it is; being design and proportions of-the system so iarflas possible so that the automatic control devices may be reduced to the smalle'strpossible number 1 andpositive'in action and simple in construction. Anotherobject'is to provide a condensing system in which amountsof steam in'excesslofthe capacity of the condenser maybe condensed for short intervals.

Another object is. to secure the best possibleeconomy of the auxiliary engine. v a

Another principal object 'is to operate anauxiliary engine which is connected to the various auxiliary 'unitsof the system including the feed for the burnerfby steam supplied from: a-midpoint of the stroke in the main engine, whereby power developed by the auxiliary ienginefland', as a result, the powerapplied to said auxiliaries is proportional to the load on the main :engine.

Another object is to'provide means to remove solids from the boiler feed water before they can become attached to theheating surface. s

,Another. object is to providemeans for the storage of a large amount of water upto the full boiler. pressure and temperaturetin; such a manner that such storage reservoirwill occupywaste space and that the reservoir will retain steam pressure enough to start the planteven after standing many hours. I y I Another object is to make it certai thatthere can be no firein the burner when a predetermined amount of water isnot going through the coils. A I The objectsof II the invention are attained by a construction as illustrated in the single figure of thedrawing, I I I I I a JI A main engine is providedwith a bleeder or checkvalvez situatedat about mid-stroke of the piston I from which" the partially expanded steam, in quantities and atpressures dependent upon the load 'on the main engine, escapes through a bleeder pipe 3 to the auxiliary engine 4, where it is used to drive. a, feed pump 5 by, means of gears 6 and I Another object is to control the generationofthe steamby inherent means natural tothe waterpump, the condenser fan, and the blower,

The isalso connected,'by{a belt]! on a pulley carriedbythe gearv -v-l toa ulle ia on a s aman. Saidfshaft extendsinto h ir- 537 s r nd i 1 11 3 8 91" w r atingjthe blower of saidlburner; The shaft also carries ajcondenser'ian='lllf positioned to direct I a. blast of r er the ,cQ e i 6 ."-ta sher n-v after described.

I It is intende that theieed pump 5, ,conde nser1 4 a bur e 8 sha se proportio e hat the h l zh rr t u ntita re e t ship "s that whatever-therspeed of the auxiliary engina;

due to the load on they-main engine, the burner 8, boiler I 0; and feedpump 5 shall furnish steam,

at practically constant pressure and temperature and atsubstahtiallythe rateatIwhich it is being e rb the. ma n and *aux l e rn n s and that thetcondenser. shall condense allyorI me at a1 r;c0n nt n r ntas 9 the x:

haust steam, v As, it is diflicultto design pumpsandb r rs ha rw l ema e n a fi d an ir" tative relationship to each-pther, means are used to vary the an i y of; wat as n -1 I The feed pump 5 for es; ,water intothe feed ipeeh a inszco 4; wh re t avel toward the; fire; gradually absorbing; heat until it-passesl-to the tickler coil [5, which is of the same vsmall diameteras the preheating coils l4, and it has but two or, threeturnsbut as itdssitu ated nearest the fire, a small amount of water, say l5 'percent; is evaporatedto steam and the mixture of steam and 1 water passes through; the

check valve I81 into. the settling and regulating drum -II 1, which may he either 'above or below the boiler. The mixture?of ,steam and waterv enters the top of, the,drumypreferably at' a tangent,- A

cylindrical bafile member '1 I is; shown mounted inthe casing l1 spaced lirom the'top andbottom" and sidegwalls thereof and Open at the bottom after coming out of solutionin preheating the coils l4 and the tickler coil'J5. The evaporator feedpipe is fitted with; a steadying and, nightv ,valve |9,-. which pre vents slugsof water entering the evaporator coil, upon any sudden violent pres- 1 sure reduction in the latter and also preventsthe escape of heat and loss of pressure, except through extended. periods; so that steam. isavailable for starting after a shut down of many hours. The check valve 20 prevents the water returning from the evaporating coil 2| to the drum. The water is completely evaporated in the coils 2 I, the steam is superheated in the coil 22, and the steam then passes through the pipe 42 to the throttle valve 23 and to the main engine I It is intended that the pump 5 shall be able to pump somewhat more water than the burner can evaporate, butlthltmmnt of it; shall so bpplssed until thrpump is 'normally fin-rushing the boiler with, say, 90 percent of the water needed.

It is obvious that the volume of steam enteringthe drum ll from the tickler 0011145 its greater than the volume of water leaving the drum I! through the evaporator feed pipe lit rusetore, the pressure in the drum L1,.is ,peniodicallu. somewhat more than the pressurein' the evaporating coils 2| and superheating coil 21; .Asathes supply, of water in the coil 2| becomessomewhat tfie prcssmje fails'tt'rtfiepoint' where it is less th'gm'th'atdn medium! l wlien water enters the-evaporating coil" 2W until the pressures-are pram-clearlybalsnced when the flow ceases" and tor'rshorttime tliepressure in the'evaporating and superheating-ooilsf is -great'er' the drum; during such a peri'o'd: no water can flow: The tickler coil is normally makihg-"wsubstamti'aily'constmt pereentageof itswaterintosteam,

@ meteors while in the evaporating and coils -the'relationship between superhieatlng'and evaporating suriaces is constantly changing, 'due'tothe somewhatperlodic water feed; "The-"valve li pre'vents between thedrmn-and the-coils! l' and lli -Wl'ierr thvpressme liasiallc-n to a predeter mlned poirit; mes mngwommthesylphon 21 in the -casing I the upper side of which is supplied coil pressme through me pipe Said ypiphnncontracts 'allowing the valve rod thus-allowing the-ball Z8- tmsent; whicfipmenwby-"passihg'of water from the feed-"pump l threugh thevpipe wto 12118 8116- tiem pipe- This causesthe entire amount of water dei'i verewbytthe pmnp, except a; verwsmall of water being l'ryr-par-ism throughthe valve ll the pipe-'3 li whose function will be latch-described? to pass into: the; boiler; causing the water level in theadrum I? to rise mii the-emeratingwcoils fl are'agaim supplied with: waters iner-eased quantityof water entering the ticl'sler coil I iconsidetabl'y reduces itmnor-msl stemmmalhing capacity; thus allowing accumulation: of water in the drum lflbe'fore enough-'water-has-reachedthe evaporating cuiis-fi -to allhw them to restore-t the pressure lie-normal? lT- the-feed pmnp is ofi say; H10 per ceut over capacitw and the I is consider ably throttiedi the-water'-level will -rise considerprieseure enouglr in -theevaporating coils-1t to time the sylphon-H ts expand; overcoming'the spring" and {forcing from= itsseat the ballz Z8 agaiiis't tfic springfl a nd by -passad'justii rg-s crew 33, thus allowing the predetermined excess of water to escape past the ball 28 into the by-pass chamber 34 and the pipe 29 to the suction pipe 30.

To make it certain that there shall be no fire unless there is a predetermined amount of water entering the boiler, water under pump pressure in the pipe 35 from the delivery side of the pump 5 passes to the pipe 31, which communicates with the sylphon 38, which, if the pressure is suflicient, causes; the sylphon 38 to expand against the sprirrg dli and opem the burner air valve 41". The sylphon will remain expanded and the air valve open so long as the pump maintains a suiiicient supply oft-water to sustain a predetermined pressure against the adjustable leak valve 3|, which "isnnece'ssarw to; relieve the pressure in the sylphon when water is. not being pumped or not pumpedinsufllci'ent quantities to keep the sylphon expanded.

It is understood that a piston or a diaphragm might. l te-substituted for" either' sylphon above mentionem without changing the action or: result.

AS I'OhE as steam is being supplied tothe main engine I, the auxiliary enginer ldwill operateaat a speed exactly proportionate to the amount of steam: beingused by the main engine, and the feed pwnp- 5; the'burner. 8*, andlthecondensen fan. or" Will -operate and have capacities. substantialliy in a fixed ratio to the steam used in the main: engine. Iii-the: steam tothe mainrengine' isshnt 0115; the aizxil i'aryengine, the-feed pump,'.burner:' and condenser" will; alsotstop unlessitis: that the auxiliary engine bexkept: turning over: very slowly; when steairnfrormthe mainsteam line'. may beizadmittedihroughtheavalya 425' tozkeegr theuauxiliamenginenmoving; Ifi the;night.valve HK iS GIOSEdYWI'ICIL the plant is: put outiofi opera:- tion; ihmayz-be re-started: at any timB,.s0- 10ng%) steam pressure enough to run the auxiliary engine: remains in; theidrunr ll, by:the; use of; the, throttle valve 42.

Fllhea: condenser a has its outlet. 45- extended intmthe water supply tank 49 near the: bottomthereof. Thanozzle: 4:! on the end; of the outlet ipeclii discharges'the water-and any uncondensedsteam intoitlie throat-of themixingtube fl t-here law-causingaavcryiintimate mixing of anyuncondensed:.steam withthe water-in the tank;,so that its'aheatmayzbe. given off to therwa/ter and it. cannotcmssatorthezatmosphere asrsteam; This-serves: to' 'save. thezwatei: thatswould be: otherwise lost if itwereidecided toimake .thecondenseriarr of a size. and speedithatziir would only furnish enough: air: for: condensation: of" the steam. used at. normal load; Thisaeject'or' condenser action hecomeszless eminent as-the water-in the tank risesirr temperature', and is only intended to: care for temporary overloads;

'It is-to be understood that applicant has-shown and described only one embodiment of a steam generating plant embodying his invention and. that he claims all'moelifications falling within the scopeof the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A steam power plant'comprising a boiler-and burner casing, steam generating coils mounted in said casing, a storage drum connectedto said coils; said drum being divided into compartments communicating-below liquid level, thedischarge end-ofone coilcommunicating with one compartment of the drum abovethe normal liquid level therein, the outlet-to another coil communicating with another compartment of the drum below the ncrmal liquid level therein, and means for supplying feed water to one of said coils.

2. A steam power plant comprising a boiler and e burner casing, a storage drum divided into compartments communicating with each other below the normal liquid level therein, a preheating and 5 steam generating coil positioned in the casing and having its discharge end connected to the drum above the normal liquid level, means for supplyin: feed water to said coil, and a steam generating coil located in the casing, the inlet end of said coil being connected to a secdnd'compartment of the drum below the liquid leveltherein.

CHARLES A. FRENCH. 

